underneath

1 of 2

preposition

un·​der·​neath ˌən-dər-ˈnēth 

1

a

: directly beneath

write the date underneath the address

b

: close under especially so as to be hidden

treachery lying underneath a mask of friendliness

wore a swimsuit underneath his slacks

2

: under subjection to

underneath

2 of 2

adverb

1

: under or below an object or a surface : beneath

2

: on the lower side

underneath adjective

Synonyms

Adverb

• below
• beneath
• under

Examples of underneath in a Sentence

Preposition

He hid the envelope underneath his coat.

She slipped a note underneath the door.

The ball rolled underneath the car.

He lives in the apartment underneath mine.

There was gum stuck underneath the table.

Underneath her calm exterior was a nervous woman with a hot temper.

They actually had a lot in common underneath their obvious differences.

Adverb

He wore a white sweater with a red shirt underneath.

She lifted up the rock and found ants crawling underneath.

The car had rust underneath.

Recent Examples on the Web

Preposition

They were set back from the river's edge, elevated on stout, concrete foundations, with wide openings underneath – flood vents – meant to let flood waters flow through. —Laura Sullivan, NPR, 8 June 2025

Read’s defense team has sought to prove that she was framed for the death of O’Keefe, who was found underneath the snow outside the home of another cop in January 2022 after the couple went out drinking one night with friends. —Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 7 June 2025

Adverb

Looking at expanding where that connectivity takes place [starts with] something as simple as evaluating the state of our infrastructure all underneath: the state of our cabling infrastructure, our fiber backbones, all of that is one piece. —Megan Poinski, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025

Read More: The Healthiest Way to Clean Your House Check the base of the unit, too: Dirt can settle underneath, making the entire thing uneven, leading to performance issues and major repairs down the road, Drew says. —Angela Haupt, Time, 3 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Preposition

Middle English undernethe, preposition & adverb, from Old English underneothan, from under + neothan below — more at beneath

First Known Use

Preposition

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing underneath

• the underneath
• underneath it all

Rhymes for underneath

• beneath
• bequeath
• neath
• sheath
• teeth
• wreath

Kids Definition

underneath

1 of 2 preposition

un·​der·​neath ˌən-dər-ˈnēth 

1

: right under

wore their bathing suits underneath their clothes

2

: under the control of

underneath

2 of 2 adverb

1

: under or below an object or an outside part

soaked through the jacket to the shirt underneath

2

: on the lower side

a pot blackened underneath